An ordinary couple’s extraordinary day

Today is an exciting day. Not historic or memorable but thrilling nonetheless. I am still unfathomably sad I won't be sitting in the Abbey's pews tomorrow but I am beside myself The Wedding is upon us.

I read an interesting article yesterday in The Times by Tom Bradby, the only journalist granted a television interview with the engaged Prince and Princess-to-be and among the privileged to be invited tomorrow. He has a friendship with Prince William, developed over the course of a decade as a royal correspondent.

He insists he is not in William's inner circle but as far as journalists go, he's as close as they get. (Incidentally Bradby's wife Claudia - who will also be in attendance tomorrow - worked with Kate Middleton at Jigsaw).   

The line concluding his article describing William and Kate, summed up, for me, some of the wonder, romance and excitement of tomorrow. "They're an ordinary couple setting off on an extraordinary life".

It's a life not many of us can imagine, but at the end of the day William and Kate are two ordinary people embarking on married life. And that excites me.

I can't help but think of Kate and her immediate family today. The day before she marries. Yes she's marrying a future King, but she's also just their daughter or sister, and tomorrow is her wedding day. I love imagining Kate and her sister Pippa sharing their luxury suite tonight, chatting away about this most public of private occasions.

I don't how they're feeling though I'd hazard a guess it's not too far removed from what any of us have felt in the lead up to our own wedding days, or those of family members and close friends. Obviously just multiplied by two billion guests.

Weddings are rare moments to celebrate friendships formed, families fostered and love that's flourished between two people. Marriage is a leap of faith that is joyous to celebrate.

My understanding is that the Royal couple's preference would be a small wedding, away from the eyes of the world. William's duty obviously precludes that. For him it's another day, albeit momentous, fated to be captured by cameras and watched by the world.

And I suspect that's why - duty aside - the Prince's dream of a private, unwatched wedding was never going to be realised. William lives in the public eye. The world saw him doted on as a toddler, we saw him survive the public demise of his parent's marriage and we watched him crushed by the tragic death of his beloved mum as a very young man.

Tomorrow we can witness a happier turn of events. We can watch as he marries the love of his life. A love which from all accounts (tabloids aside) seems as genuine and real as any couple can share.

Their wedding will not change the world. Weddings are beginnings, not ends. Their lives may not unfold from here without ripples. There are matters of far greater significance impacting individuals all around the globe every minute. But that's not to say tomorrow does not warrant celebration.

I defy anybody who knows the vicissitudes of Prince William's life, not to feel uplifted by the fact he's found somebody to share with him the incredible burden of his birth.

Needless to say, I'll be watching tomorrow.